Goosen out for season, Butch suspended

30 April 2012 - 02:08 By CRAIG RAY
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Cheetahs flyhalf Johan Goosen has been ruled out for up to four month after dislocated his shoulder while scoring a sensational individual try against the Hurricanes on Saturday. The Free state side lost 36-33 Picture: LOREN BATTERSBY/GALLO IMAGES
Cheetahs flyhalf Johan Goosen has been ruled out for up to four month after dislocated his shoulder while scoring a sensational individual try against the Hurricanes on Saturday. The Free state side lost 36-33 Picture: LOREN BATTERSBY/GALLO IMAGES

For the Lions and the Cheetahs, their seasons have suddenly become a lot more difficult.

The Cheetahs, after slumping to a seventh straight loss to the Highlanders after leading the match 30-9 early in the second half, have to play the rest of the season without flyhalf sensation Johan Goosen.

The Lions head off on their gruelling Australasian tour without veteran flyhalf Butch James, who was suspended for four weeks after a shoulder charge on Brumbies lock Scott Fardy in Friday's 34-20 loss at Ellis Park.

Goosen (19), also named in the SA under-20 squad for the World Championships in Stellenbosch in June, dislocated a shoulder and will be out for four months.

Goosen was injured scoring his third try of the season - a brilliant solo effort from 60 metres out. He is the Super 15's leading points scorer with 145.

The Lions have had little to cheer since winning the first match of the campaign against the Cheetahs in February. Since then they've endured seven successive defeats, with Friday's performance among their worst.

James, who recently retired from test rugby, was one of the few remaining senior players in the injury-ravaged squad. But his moment of madness soon after he'd taken the field as a replacement for Alwyn Hollenbach will exact a heavy price on his team.

James pleaded guilty and expressed remorse, but it wasn't enough to persuade the judicial officer to be overly lenient.

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